Flax cleaning machine



Match 28, 1944. M 1 wElss V2,345,226

FLAX CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 2'?1 1929 Patented Mar. 28, 1944 Reiled. forl abandoned application Serial N'o.

343,023, February 27, 1929.

This application Mays, 1941, serial No. 391,938

eolaims.y (Cl. 209-289) This invention relates to afma'chine for cleany ing grain .for seed, and whilethe machine is capable of cleaning various kinds of grain, it particularly is designed'for cleaning ilax. When flax is threshed it ordinarily contains quite .a few foreign seeds, such as water-grass mustardseed and the seeds of wild peas orfvetch, garlic and Wild oats. It is desirableto clean the flax of these foreign seeds before the same ismarketed. P

It is an object of my inventionftherefo're, to provide a simple'and elicientl machine which will quickly' and effectively vseparate the flax from the foreign seeds and one which will have alarge capacity. l v

It is a further object of the invention' to p'rovide a machine for separating flax or other grains from foreign seeds, comprising a revolvable member of polygonal shape having in the walls Athereof transversely extending slots and having 'at the corners inwardly extending baille and lifting plates.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine for cleaning ax or other grain from foreign seeds, having a revolvable container with transversely extending slits therein; through which the ax is adapted to pass, inA combination with a second revolvable container or screen having holes of smaller diameter than the width of said slits.

'I'hese and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth inthe following'y description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which- Figure 1 is a central Vertical longitudinal section through the machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 as indicatedby the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-.4

of Fig. 6 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a Vertical section takenon line 5 5 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a partial plan of the inner side ,of one screen member used; j

Fig. 'lis a Vertical section taken on line ,l-Tol Fig. 6 shown on any enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a section through Aa corner of one screen used and shown on a still more enlarged.

scale.

Referring to the drawing, a machine is shown having a frame comprising cornerposts I Il arranged at the corners of a rectanglerand connected at their top by cross members II extending therebetween, said members also having other cross members I2 extending between the end. posts and the ends or short sides of the rectangle and intermediate members I3 extending between the posts I 0 and the long sides of the rectangle. The members Ill at one end of the frame have lower end portions I0aseparate from and arranged in rabbeted relation to the upper portions of member I0. Said portions Illa. have vertically extending elongated slots Ib through which extend the headedobolts IIlc extending through the upper portions of member I0. Wing nuts I0d are threaded on the bolts I0c and clamp the portions Illa to the upper portions of member Il). The said fran e has at its upper portion a hopper I4 having a bottom I4a sloping towards one end, said bottom having an opening at one end from which leads a conduit I5. The lower end of conduit I5 is directed substantially horizontally and extends through the end wall I5a of a screen -container I6. While container I Ii might be of Various shapes in*y cross section, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is shown as polygonal and specifically in the form of an octagon. As illustrated, member I6 comprises a periphery made of panels I6b, each of which has an end strip or ange I6c and longitudinal sides or anges Id. The -panels I6 are supported on spaced spiders I6e having radially extending arms and central hubs, which hubs are secured to a shaft Il by any suitable means, such as set screws I8. Shaft I'I has its ends journaled respectively in a pair of the members I2 and has secured at one end, outside of one of the mem. bers I2, a sprocket I9 and also has secured thereto outside of sprocket I9 another sprocket 20. The panels I6 having extending between the longitudinal sides IGd transverse inwardly directed ribs I6f, said ribs having converging sides and being shown as substantially of V shape in cross section. A split or opening I 6g extends between the inner'edges of the side of the ribs I6f asshown in Figs. 6 and '7. Inwardly extending plates Ilh are provided secured to one of the sides I6d of each panel and extending at right angles thereto. One side of the plate I 6 is flat and the other side, adjacent its inner end, is convex; as shown by Figure 8. A circular plate 2I is secured against the spider I6e which is located nearest the right-hand end of member I 6, as seen in Fig. 1. The end member I6 opposite the conduit I5 extends into the flared and enlarged end 22a of a conduit 22, which extends outwardly between the frame members I and downwardly at one end thereof. A casing 23 extends at each side of screen I6 and at one end thereof, the same having downwardly converging sides merging into the sides of a semi-cylindrical trough 23a forming the bottom of said casing. A helical conveyorg24 is disposed in the trough 23a, the samebeing'carlriedon a shaft 25..,J'ournaled at its end to a pair of members l2. Said shaft extends at one end of the frame and has secured thereto a sprocket wheel 26. Conduits 21 communicate at their upper ends with `an opening at one end of casing 23 and hayeidownwardly extending diverging portions, said portions having their lower ends directed horizontally'and into the ends of screen mem-bers 128;' `Wl=iile the screen members 28 might be of .various shapes in cross section, in the embodiment ofr Vi sli1e.. inf,

vention illustrated, they are shown as of polygona] shape and specifically in the form of' an` Octagon. Thescreen vmembers-28 each co'nipi'is'eV a pair of spiderI members 28d having hubs secured to 29 respectively, said shaftsbei'ng' journaled to a pair of themernbers v|2 and extending .d

through bearings in the portions of conduits 2f! said shafts extendingv at-one end of the frame members l0 and having secured thereto respectively vsprockets 3l). AThe members 2B are `each formed of eight panels having end portions or flanges 28h and longitudinal side portions or flanges 28e. Between the ends and sides 28 and 28e extend perforated screen material, suchas metal, the same being provided with 'a plurality of small holes 28j, the same having a smaller diameter than the width of 'the operlin'gsflg.

Circular plates 28e are secured to the spider members 28a adjacent the ends of members 26 opposite conduits 21. Inwardly extendingbafile plates 28d are provided extending'at right angles to one of the side portions 28e and longitudinally' thereof, the same being of a shape shown bythe plates |571, in'FigrB. The ends f"members^28 opposite conduit 21 are received in the enlarged flaring end 3|a. of the conduit 3|, which extends outwardly between frame members l'and down-1., wardly at one end thereof. The members 28 are inclosed at'the sidesfand between'a casing 32 having downwardly inclined sides whichterminate in the sides of `the chute -321l extending from casing 32. The frame'members Il)` are shown as resting on a floor 33 and conduits 22 and 3| and chute 32a are shown as extending through this floor. The material Vpassing through said conduits and chute may be received in suitable receptacles on the floor below the floor 33.

A motor 34 is mounted on a plate or platform 35 carried by one of thememlbers |2,* the'shaft of which is secured by a sprocket 36. A chain 31 runs over sprocket I9 on shaft |'1'and vsprocket 36. Another chain 38 runs over sprocket 2|! downwardly, around Vand beneath 'sprockets 30 on shafts 29 upwardly around one j side of sprocket 26, shafts and 29 thus gbeig 'driven from shaft l1.V A plate 39 extends `along 4oi'iejof the members |3,fan'd has sprocketv 40 secured 'to its underside'tovthichy is secured "afplate 4| carrying a brush or brushes 42 engaging one of the upper sides offmember 1'6'. i'

In operation the material to be cleaned, such as flax, is placed` in the hopper |4. Motorv 34 will be supplied with 'suitablecurrent and shaftl I1 and member yI6 A Will be"d I"iVen' 'through fthe chain 31. For cleaning naxfmember I t is pref-l through. mustard-seed; vdust and other ne particles of flax seed eventually passes through the openings |6g and drops into the casing 23. All stems,

hulls-"large seeds such such as larger mustard seed-s and wild peas, as well as any partially hulled 4weed seeds, pass out at the end of member Hint'oL theco'nduitiZZ and are discharged there- The" flax together with the fine foreign matter, are moved by the conveyor 24 to the conduits 21,v and the material passes into said conduits, beingY substantially equally divided'lbetween'the same a'r-idis' directedfby said'conduits intothe members 28. lThe materialin the members j 28 is also repeatedlyv lifted by the baille plates 28d and then*dischargedv aga-inst'the sides of'said'members". Y v through Atheopeningsin 'members 28 but these openings 'are/too jsmall topermit the passage'of the flax seed". .The flax traverses" the length of members 28 and is discharged at their `jex'ids into conduitl3l, from `wliich-*itw'ill be' received into' suitable receptacles. The `material'` vpass-- ing through the 'screen' k28 isv received `inte the casing 32 and'is `di'scliarged through the' chute 32a. The circular plate 2| causesth'e material to pass yaround"theedge thereof nandfpreventsV themmaterialufrom being too violently thrown out of tnef'end ofmember i6. n'ny material tending to stickf inthe openings ''Gg is'clearedaway by the brushes 42. lIt will be noted tristi-.ne mem- 'bers"|6h"'and 28d advance with their flat `sides moved upwardly so that as theylmovel upwardly a 4pocket is formed against Asaid.'flatside'and v. against which` the g rain isicarriedv As these members pass .above `the centers'lo members lli` and28` respectively' they grainY ,is discharged or v.p as'sedvofffrom the bafile jmembers and again falls downon the sidesof members I6 and 28 respectively. y Y

`AFrom theabove description it is seen that the applicant has provided a simple andgrefficient device for effectively separating flax from foreign material. The machinecan be Aalso used-for cleaning other 4grains or seeds lby having the proper width to the openings 16g and thev proper diametersof holes in the members 28. Thefparts of the device are comparatively few :and simple in construction and the 4machine can be made at comparatively` small expense. The device has been amply demonstrated. inactual practice and found to be very successful. Reference vis here made to applicants 4prior' application S. N. 343,023, filed February 27, 1929, on .Flax cleaning machine, of which'this application is 'a rei'ile and a substantial duplicate, said prior application having become abandoned. It will', of course, fbe understood that various changes :may be'm'ade'in the form-'de'tail's, proportionsland arrangement of the'pa-rts, Ywithout departing from the scopeof applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the novel parts and1'cpmbinationsigbrjparts disclosed and defined inthe appended'cla'ims."

'I'hefirre seedsand dust passV What is claimed is:

1. A flax cleaning machine having in combination, a container rotatable about a longitudinal axis and comprising a peripheral wall having inwardly extending ribs extending transversely of said wall, said ribs having fiat inwardly converging sides with an opening between the inner edges of said sides, the flax being adapted to pass through said openings.

2. A iiax cleaning machine having in combination, an elongated container rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having a peripheral wall with transversely and inwardly extending V shaped ribs forming troughs at its bottom, the ridges of said ribs being directed inwardly having openings extending lengthwise therefrom and transversely of said axis through which the flax is adapted to pass.

3. A iiax cleaning machine comprising a rotatable elongated container of polygonal form, said container having a periphery of panels one for each side of said polygon, said panels having end and side flanges, ribs extending between said side flanges, said ribs having iiat inwardly directed converging sides with slits between the inner edges of said sides.

4. A ilax cleaning machine having in combination, an upper container, means for delivering material to said container, said container having a peripheral wall with transversely extending ridges with flat sides and having slits therein at their inner sides, a lower container, means for delivering material passing through said slits to said lower container, said lower container having a peripheral wall with a multiplicity of holes therethrough, having a diameter smaller than the width of said slits and means for receiving material delivered at the end of said lower container.

5. A machine for separating flax or other grain from foreign material, having in combination, a hopper, an upper elongated polygonal container having a peripheral wall with solid portions extending longitudinally thereof at corners of said container, V shaped ribs extending transversely of said container between said solid portions, said ribs having their apices directed inwardly and having slits therethrough at their apices, baille plates extending inwardly at the corners of said container, a lower container of elongated form and polygonal in cross section, rotatable about a longitudinal axis, said lower container having solid portions extending at the corners thereof, and'having a multiplicity of holes therethrough between said solid portions, baiile plates extending inwardly at corners of said container and means for directing material passing through said slits in said upper container to said lower container, the diameter of said holes in said lower container being less than the width 0f said slits in said upper container.

6. A flax cleaning machine having in combination, a rotatable elongated container having substantially ilat wall portions, said wall portions being formed of metal and having pressed therein elongated ribs extending transversely of said container and having flat sides inclined to aA plane at right angles to the axis of said container, said ribs thus having sides extending inwardly and said ribs having slits therebetween at their meeting inner edges through which flax seeds are adapted to pass atwise.

MATHEW J. WEISS, 

